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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22918852">The Heart of the Matter</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Author_of_Kheios/pseuds/Author_of_Kheios'>Author_of_Kheios</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Overwatch (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Domestic Fluff, Drama &amp; Romance, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Matchmaking, Multi, No Angst, No Sex, No Smut, background romances, meta-fanfiction</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 16:41:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,093</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22918852</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Author_of_Kheios/pseuds/Author_of_Kheios</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When gaming sensation Hana "D.va" Song loses her place at the top of the leaderboard on her favourite game to her rival "King," she latches on to a new hobby to fill the hole in her life and time. There are some... unforeseen consequences, however, and she'll have to figure things out quick or risk losing some of her closest friends.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Genji Shimada &amp; Hana "D.Va" Song, Genji Shimada/Tekhartha Zenyatta, Hana "D.Va" Song &amp; Tekhartha Zenyatta, Hanzo Shimada &amp; Hana "D.Va" Song, Jesse McCree &amp; Genji Shimada, Jesse McCree &amp; Hana "D.Va" Song, One Sided Jesse McCree/Hanzo Shimada</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Heart of the Matter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello hello hello! I know I said I was going to write a new installation for the Reed1700 Shenanigans series, but this and another OW fic were already in the works, so I wanted to finish them up first. (Just so my DBH readers don't think I'm flaking on them XD)</p>
<p>Now! For my OW readers... I promise, the tags are not bait; there <i>is</i> Genyatta and some hinted McHanzo in this fic, cross my heart. ^-^</p>
<p>A little sidenote, in case the fonts don't translate over properly, present tense is the main story and past tense is Hana's writing. And to be clear, if there's anything weird or annoying or awkward about those bits, it was intentional. This is essentially the first time she's ever tried writing a story, and she's taking a lot of influence from the more stereotypical fanfiction writing style, so a lot of the stuff we poke fun at is in here, because she hasn't learned what to avoid and such.</p>
<p>I think that's it for housekeeping, so enjoy! And don't forget to kudos, comment and subscribe~</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <b>THE QUEEN HAS FALLEN!!</b>
  </p>
  <p>
    <span>In a shocking turn of events recently, four-year champion of the popular online gaming world of MEKA, Hana ‘D.va’ Song, has been dethroned by her long-time rival, Kyung-soo ‘King’ Han, in a stunning and unprecedented last second play that took advantage of an unexpected moment of weakness. The hashtags #thequeenisdead and #longlivetheking have been trending across multiple platforms...</span>
  </p>
</blockquote><p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hana sighs and locks her phone, setting it face-down on her desk and staring at the black computer monitors in front of her. Since her defeat two days ago, she hasn’t even been able to turn on her computer, much less log into the mmorpg that used to consume her every free moment. She hesitantly reaches for the power button on one of the screens, only to pause before touching it. Letting out another sigh, she sits back, the heavy weight around her shoulders increasing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Her phone buzzes, startling her, and she snatches it up reactively. It’s a phone call, from Pompous Bitch. A small smile quirks at her lips as she slides the answer button.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Hanzo.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Hana, please. I know you’re wallowing in your depression over losing that video game of yours, but I need you.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What? Why?” Hana frowns, worried that something happened.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Jesse is driving me absolutely mad!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hana bursts out laughing, and Hanzo growls on the other end of the line.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Did he steal your sketchbook again?” she giggles.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Worse... He defiled its pages with a horrendous cartoon sketch of himself winking and a good dozen or more hearts!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh my God, send me a pic!” Her phone plips before she even finishes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I already did. Please, Hana, don’t leave me alone with this insufferable American idiot.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, okay,” Hana chuckles, standing and putting her phone on speaker so she can change out of her pyjamas. Before she does, she opens the attachment Hanzo sent her and cracks up again at the image. “Hey, not too bad if you ask me!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>Tell</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span> me you’re joking,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hanzo says, sounding far more dramatic than usual. Hana stifles another laugh as she pulls on jean shorts and a scoop-neck long-sleeve t-shirt. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“It lacks any sort of professionalism, the lines are all the same width and </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>far</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span> too thick, the shading is abhorrent, the proportions are disastrous... and this </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>poser</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span> is actually in art classes??”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Have you been hanging out with that punk heiress Ashe again?” Hana calls as she steps into her sneakers and grabs her wallet and keys, checking to make sure the former has her bus card.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“No... Okay, yes, but who else am I supposed to spend time with when you’re not around? You’ve been moping for days and I’m aching for someone to talk to that actually has class, unlike a certain someone...”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh come on, Hanzo,” she chirps, stepping out of her apartment and locking the door behind her. “He’s... what’s the word... [maelyeogjeog-in]... foxy...? Ah, charming!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Charming??”</span>
  </em>
  <span> She can already imagine the look of offended horror Hanzo must be wearing right now, and she takes the call off speaker in case he starts cursing. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“In what universe is that incorrigible mess of a human being </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>charming</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>??”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“[Zaoshang hao], Hana!” the landlady, a tiny Chinese woman with five million cats who lives on the ground floor, chirps as she comes down the stairs. “Haven’t seen you in a while.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Morning, Dr. Zhou,” Hana greets, tipping the phone away from her ear for a moment. “What’s the weather going to be like today?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sunny and clear in town!” Mei-Ling Zhou beams, picking up her oldest and favourite cat, a white persian named Snowball. “My team is sending the data from Iceland tomorrow; I’m looking forward to working with a whole new set of parameters!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re saving lives with your work, Dr. Zhou,” Hana assures, stepping closer to give Snowball a quick pet.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Hana. Hana, please,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hanzo speaks up, distracting her. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“He’s coming back, Hana, help.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, okay,” Hana laughs. “I’m on my way. Bye, Dr. Zhou; bye, Snowball!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Have a good day, Hana!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I might start pulling out my hair if I have to deal with him any longer,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hanzo moans. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Ashe is busy today, so I can’t deter him by hanging out with his ex...”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Which is rude anyway,” Hana snorts, rolling her eyes. She turns the corner and gasps. “Oh shit, the bus is here!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Well don’t miss it! I won’t survive another half hour with this man!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t make me laugh; I won’t be able to run!” Hana giggles, running for the bus stop and waving her hand to get the driver’s attention. He waits, nodding when she gives him a breathless thanks and digs out her card to swipe it over the reader. The door closes and the bus pulls away while she swings into one of the seats in front and plops down. “Made it. I’m guessing you’re at the park?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Under the gazebo, yes,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hanzo confirms. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“It’s far too hot to sit in the sun today.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Faintly over the line, Hana hears another voice.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“You know what else is hot today?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“No.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“You are.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Stop it.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Come on, darlin’...”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Go away; Hana, save me, please.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Relax, </span>
  <em>
    <span>darlin’</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Hana teases, putting on her most exaggerated American West accent. “I’m like five minutes away.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Hana...”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hanzo whines desperately. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Please, I get enough of that from this fool.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Hey now, I resemble that statement.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I am excruciatingly aware...”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hana’s mood lightens as she listens to the two of them argue over the phone, chiming in on occasion to tease Hanzo or to admonish Jesse, which makes Hanzo crow in vindication every time. By the time she swipes her card to leave the bus, both her mood and Hanzo’s have improved, and she hangs up for the short walk to the park and across the vibrant green lawn to the gazebo.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hanzo is seated on the ground with his back against one of the pillars, sketchbook resting on his knees while he draws, far calmer than he was earlier. Jesse is perched on one of the picnic tables, feet on the bench, watching Hanzo with the sappy look of a lovesick puppy. Hana smiles as she approaches.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Before she gets there, however, a noisy group of guys on skateboards rolls up to the gazebo, laughing and chatting loudly. Jesse frowns at them and then notices Hanzo scowling in their direction.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey!" he calls out, surprising Hanzo. "Y'all mind keepin' it down?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Who's gonna make us?" one of the guys scoffs. "It's the great outdoors, dumbass; why don't you go back to your library and leave us alone?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"My friend is tryna draw," Jesse returns shortly, "and I'm askin' y'all politely to respect the peace of this place."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Jesse, leave it," Hanzo says, mildly annoyed. "They'll get bored and leave eventually."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nah, Han; it ain't right," Jesse responds while the group of guys burst out laughing. "We were here first."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So? They won't be here long," Hanzo insists, pointedly turning his attention back to his sketchbook.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>One of the guys gets his companions' attention and gestures, and they all sit down at one of the tables, clearly intending to stay for a while. Annoyance burns in Hana's veins, but something stops her from interfering just yet; she hangs back, watching.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Jesse, don't," Hanzo says when Jesse stands and hops off the bench, heading for the guys. They all stand as well, ready to meet him, but he doesn't even falter; stopping a few feet from the nearest one, he plants himself and crosses his arms.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For being only 19 years old, he cuts an impressive figure, but the other guys know they outnumber him 4-to-1, and that gives them the courage to stand up to him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm gonna guess y'all don't hear too well, so I'll ask one more time. Please be a bit quieter and respect the peace of the park."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Maybe you don't </span>
  <em>
    <span>see</span>
  </em>
  <span> too well, moron, but we outnumber you and you can't make us."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Jesse, enough, please," Hanzo calls out, exasperated. The speaker for the group of guys smirks, gaze flicking to Hanzo for a split second.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Listen to your boyfriend, fag."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Boyfriend?" Both Hanzo and Jesse say it at the same time, with very different reactions, and Hana takes that as her cue to step in, before fists fly. Hurrying up, she waltzes straight past the guys and right up to Jesse.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey! Sorry I'm late," she chirps, stretching up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. He gives her an odd look, but she just flips her hair and glances at the guys, sliding her arm through Jesse's as though claiming him. "What's going on, babe?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jesse, fortunately, gets it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nothin', doll; havin' a chat with these gentlemen. They were just leavin'."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmph." Deprived of their choice of ammunition, the guys cover up their floundering with feigned indifference, wisely deciding not to comment as they take up their skateboards and leave.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Only once they're gone do Hana and Jesse relax. Hanzo, on the other hand, is furious; when Hana and Jesse turn around, he's right there, scowling.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't need you to protect me," Hanzo growls at Jesse.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I wasn't-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hanzo," Hana cuts in, scolding. "You know very well that he was trying to be nice and it just happened to backfire. If I'd done that, you wouldn't be snapping at me, so stop being petty and either say thank you or shut up and go back to your art."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hanzo visibly deflates, a faint flush of shamed embarrassment colouring his cheeks.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Thank you," he mutters, turning away. Jesse glances helplessly at Hana, who shrugs; she can keep him in line, but she can't pull the stick out of his ass.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So, ah... I heard ya lost yer title a couple days ago," Jesse says, trying to break the awkward silence. Hana appreciates the idea, but not the method.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah," she sighs, plopping down on the bench of the table nearest Hanzo and leaning back against the tabletop. "I got cocky and made a stupid mistake; King blindsided me with a move I didn't think he </span>
  <em>
    <span>could</span>
  </em>
  <span> have."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You gonna try 'n get your title back?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No... I can't even turn on my computer right now," Hana admits quietly, absently plucking at her shirt and regretting the choice of long sleeves, even thin as they are.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Maybe now you won't fail your classes," Hanzo muses blandly, staring at his sketchbook in thought.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Gee, thanks for making me feel better about my situation," Hana scoffs, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, I wasn't failing any of my classes. Just maybe... not doing as well as I could."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Pretty sure a D is still considered failing here in the States," Hanzo points out, glancing up at her before continuing his sketch.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That was </span>
  <em>
    <span>one</span>
  </em>
  <span> class!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You got a D?" Jesse asks, surprised.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It was a C-, not a D, and the teacher hates me, I swear," Hana complains, scowling. "She gave us only one assignment for the whole first half of the semester, made it worth like half our grade, and made it due the day of my tournament, which I even told her about </span>
  <em>
    <span>at the beginning of the semester</span>
  </em>
  <span>! And she refused to let me turn it in early, and it was due </span>
  <em>
    <span>in class</span>
  </em>
  <span>, as a presentation...! I got 50 percent docked for being </span>
  <em>
    <span>one day late</span>
  </em>
  <span>, 'because you skipped class and didn't do your presentation.'" Jesse cackles at her high, comically nasal voice of irritation, and even Hanzo smiles a little.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And you didn't fail the class?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No, but only because I practically forced her to take the rest of my assignments early for the rest of the semester, and got full scores on all the tests. She tried to call me out for cheating, but the only time I could even possibly have cheated was on a day that I was at another tournament and had like, a hundred witnesses. And she makes us sit so far apart in class that if we even tried to cheat off each other, it'd be the most obvious thing in the world." She huffs, out of steam now that she's said her piece, and shrugs. "It's whatever; it was a gen ed class so I don't have to see her ever again, thank God."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Which teacher is it?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ms. Vaswani, the research methods class you have to take before English Comp 2."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I had her for my liaisons class," Hanzo adds, shaking his head. "She's strict, but if you show up for class on time and do the work, she won't fail you even if you don't do very well on the assignments."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Maybe if she likes you," Hana scoffs.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Damn... I gotta take a class with her next semester," Jesse grimaces. "Anybody else teachin' liaisons?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I think, um... What's his name...?" Hana frowns, searching her memory. "de Keper? The public speaking teacher."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"de Kuiper," Hanzo corrects. "Siebren de Kuiper, I think."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's right. Dr. de Kuiper also teaches liaisons, but his classes are all early in the morning; I'm struggling just to stay awake for public speaking." She groans. "Oh damnit, I have my final speech tomorrow..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Have you practiced yet?" Hanzo asks, looking up and stretching his arms across his knees.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Do you even have it written yet?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course!" Hanzo just cocks a brow at her, and she gives him a dark look in return. "I have! Not like I have anything else to do now that I can't even log into MEKA..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Get a better hobby," Hanzo says blandly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Like what, smartass?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Maybe write about somethin'?" Jesse offers. "My creative writin' teacher says puttin' your thoughts down on paper is the best way to relax, and so far I agree."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah?" Hana grins. "What do </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> write about, cowboy?" Jesse flushes brilliant red and clears his throat.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Um... ya know... stuff."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Stuff you can turn in?" Hana ribs, not letting up on him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course!" Jesse huffs indignantly. "Mostly. Sometimes... I do all my assignments!" Hana giggles, wriggling her brows at Hanzo, who rolls his eyes with a groan and buries himself pointedly in his sketchbook.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>↑↑↓↓←→←→BA(Start)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The last class before finals week is over now, and it's been five days since Hana's defeat. She still can't log on to MEKA, and she's only turned on her computer once to fiddle with some things on one of her papers before sending it in. For the most part, she's filled her now endless free time hanging out with Hanzo and Jesse, and reading fanfiction on her phone. She deleted the news app from her home screen so she doesn't have to see all the headlines about King breaking several of her records, but now she feels almost... empty, like there's something missing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The thing Jesse said about writing to help relax sticks in her brain, and everytime she opens a new fanfic, they repeat in her head. When she gets back to her apartment Saturday night after hanging with the boys for a bit, she sits down at her computer and turns on the screens, waking it up with a quick jiggle of the mouse that fits her hand like an extension of her fingers. With only a slight hesitation, she opens Word and stares at the blank white page in front of her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It's different this time. She's seen this view a hundred times before, writing essays for classes, but this time it's like staring at a possibility, an opportunity, a new start. Something warm and hopeful rises up in her chest and she smiles to herself as she opens up a browser window to search writing ideas.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The first thing to come up is fanfic tropes, and she skims the list, not really sure what kind of story she wants to write anyway, but knowing what she likes. One of her favourite tropes ― roommates ― is on the list, and she figures, why not?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A random character generator comes next, and after multiple clicks she has a few ideas for the main characters. She narrows it down to five, two guys and three girls, and she reads over them again, wondering how to make it work.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Then she recalls the incident in the park, and she knows exactly what she's going to do; discarding the female characters, she tweaks the male characters a bit and then opens a name generator. Just by opening it, there's already a list of names, and a few catch her eye, but one in particular is unusually satisfying: Zenyatta.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She's certain she's heard that name somewhere before, but then, she's heard a lot of strange names travelling the world, first with her father and then on her own.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Regardless, it sits well on her tongue and in her mind, so she decides to keep it. Besides, "Zen" is an adorable nickname and full of potential for teasing and romantic confession.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After setting the generator guide for male Japanese names, and clicking through a couple times, she settles on Arata.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A plip from her phone interrupts her process, and she picks it up, unlocking it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>'</span>
  <em>
    <span>What the heck am I supposed to do with a rose?'</span>
  </em>
  <span> The message from Pompous Bitch comes with an image attachment of a single red rose tied with a silky gold ribbon not unlike the ribbons Hanzo wears sometimes in place of his hair scarves. There's a note with it too, but from this angle Hana can't see what it says.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'put it in a vase and water it, obvi,'</span>
  </em>
  <span> she sends back with a winky face. </span>
  <em>
    <span>'cute ribbon~'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'I am not wearing it.'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'aw, y not?'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'First of all, he'd notice. Second, so would my brother, who is coming here to find a job for the summer because he's enrolling in fall.'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'ur brother?? when do we get to meet??'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'If I have my way, never.'</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hana laughs at that and starts typing a reply, but he beats her to it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>'But probably the week after finals.'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'rude'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'If you or Jesse gets along with my pain of a brother, I will never know peace again.'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'lol u say this like its a bad thing'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'It is the worst possible thing that could ever happen to me.'</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hana rolls her eyes at that, but another message comes in just as she goes to lock her phone. It's a picture of the rose in a thin glass vase that just fits it, the ribbon now loosely tied around the neck of the vase. </span>
  <em>
    <span>'I refuse to let it suffer because he killed it.'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'lol han u dork,'</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hana sends, giggling. </span>
  <em>
    <span>'p sure it was dead b4 he bought it'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'XP'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hana really laughs now, locking the phone and putting it down to start writing. She's never written a fiction story before, but after a moment's thought, she decides to do it the way she does essays: start at the beginning and fix things as she goes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And so it begins....</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>↑↑↓↓←→←→BA(Start)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Dark hair, blue eyes, and a charming smile. His weakness. Arata stared at his roommate, momentarily stunned speechless, and wondered if he was dreaming; there was no way this handsome specimen was going to be his roommate for the entire school year.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hello," the gorgeous man said pleasantly, his English impeccable but with a faint accent that made Arata wonder how he might sound in bed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>No, bad Arata! Behave!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ah, [kon'nichiwa]," he responded automatically. "Er, no, sorry; am still learning English... Hello." Unusually conscious of his heavy accent, Arata blushed faintly, dropping his gaze to the floor.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That is quite alright," the stunning man smiled, making Arata's knees go a little weak. Then, to his shock, continued in near perfect Japanese. "[My name is Zenyatta. What's yours?]"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Uh... Arata," he answered, amazed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"[Your surname or your given name?]"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"[Given]," Arata replied, brows raised as his gaze jumped back up to Zenyatta's. "[How do you...?]"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"[I've traveled all around the world since I was young, and learned many languages and cultures]," Zenyatta said, beaming. "[I didn't realise I'd be making so much use of it here.] I can help you with your English, if you like."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I would be honoured," Arata smiled back. "I am taking the English class, but practice is good."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course," Zenyatta nodded agreement. Then he paused and tipped his head in an adorable way that made Arata want to kiss him right then and there. "Are you certain you are alright with me calling you so familiarly by your given name?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes," Arata assured, strangely warm with delight at how polite and conscientious the man was on top of being so gorgeous. "I know Americans are different in how they call friends; I don't mind."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Good, good," Zenyatta smiled. "If you ever have any questions, please let me know; I have been living here for many years now, and if I do not have the answer, I am certain I will know where to find it."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"[Domo arigatogozaimasu]!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Already, Arata felt better about being in a foreign country.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>↑↑↓↓←→←→BA(Start)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I took your advice." Jesse jolts in surprise and clutches at his chest, huffing a relieved breath when he sees Hana.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Goddamn, yer quiet fer such a noisy thang," he humphs. "Tryna give me a heart attack or somethin'?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No," Hana giggles, following him toward the cafeteria and pausing while he opens the door for her. "Thanks. I didn't mean to startle you; you're just skittish."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Now why would I be skittish?" Jesse asks, brow cocked in amusement.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Because Hanzo's brother is coming next week and you want to impress him so he'll give you his blessing to woo Hanzo."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"How dare you call me out like that," Jesse deadpans, making Hana laugh. "You eatin' here today?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Sure, why not?" Hana slips into the line behind Jesse and rummages in her pockets for her student ID.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I gotcha," Jesse smiles, waving his ID.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You sure?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, no problem."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What do you think he's like?" Hana asks, stuffing her hands in her pockets.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hanzo's brother?" Jesse hums, eyeing the menu as well as he can from all the way back here. "Either a mirror copy or the exact opposite."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Haha! Would you be able to handle two Hanzos?" Hana grins, earning herself a mild glare.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ain't nobody in the world like Hanzo, sweetheart, and nothin' you say is gonna change that."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What if his brother is just as cute and actually likes you back?" Hana ribs, unable to help herself. Jesse scoffs, rolling his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Honey, you say that like it ain't part of his charm that I gotta chase him so hard."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The day he gives in to you is the day I nude model for the art class," Hana cackles.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Careful now, I might hold you to that," Jesse winks. "Ya may not be my type, but yer figure's nice, and plenty o' my classmates are fans o' yers."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's not creepy at all," Hana notes, rolling her eyes as they reach the front of the line.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Just statin' the facts," Jesse chuckles. He makes his order and lets her add hers, then swipes his ID and waits for the receipt, which he skims while they find a place to sit. "Just under 20 bucks left. Should be fine for the week. Not lookin' forward to movin' outta the dorm, though..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You still haven't found an apartment for the summer?" Hana tsks. "Why don't you just move into my building? There's like four apartments open right now, and two of them are big enough that you could split the cost with someone."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Like I could afford to live in your building," Jesse scoffs, checking his receipt again for the number so he knows what to listen for. "Place is fancier than I coulda paid for when I was datin' Ashe."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's why you split the cost with someone, dummy," Hana snorts. Jesse gives her a look, but their number is called, so he doesn't bother to respond as he goes to get their food.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While he's gone, Hanzo finds her and slides into the seat next to her, placing a container of his own food on the table; a bento box, if she remembers correctly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"My first final was a nightmare," he says as a greeting, popping open the box and muttering under his breath before digging in. "Thank God it's over and done."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mm. Guess who else is sitting with me?" Hana smiles cheerfully. Hanzo goes still and groans when Jesse returns with two trays of food. "Thanks, Jesse!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No problem, doll. Heya, Hanzo." Jesse is visibly more cheerful than before, but he knows better than to try and sit beside his crush, so he sits on the other side of Hana instead.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You couldn't warn me </span>
  <em>
    <span>before</span>
  </em>
  <span> I sat down?" Hanzo grumbles, laying his chopsticks across the box and sitting back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You didn't give me a chance," Hana dismisses lightly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What'd ya mean earlier?" Jesse asks, recognising Hanzo's poor mood and changing the topic to avoid irritating him further.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hm?" Hana cocks her head at him, lost.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Said ya took my advice?" he prompts.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh! I started writing," Hana grins. "It's like... I guess you could say it's a normal fiction story with fanfic elements to it."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You're into fanfiction?" Jesse asks, brows raised.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Just because I'm studying to be an engineer doesn't mean I'm not interested in reading," Hana laughs, noting that Hanzo is eating again, however silently. "And isn't fanfiction normal for teenage girls?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, but like... Sixteen-year-old emo wannabes," Jesse says, only half teasing. The other half seems intrigued, so Hana doesn't scold him for stereotyping.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"First of all, rude. And second, I'm still only 18, you know."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Sometimes I forget; yer so mature," he jokes. Hana snorts in amusement, rolling her eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'd say fuck you, but I'm pretty sure I'm not your type," she returns easily. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Anyway</span>
  </em>
  <span>... I started writing last Saturday night after I got home, and I'm already like four chapters in; I'm really enjoying it!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Okay, but what's yer word count look like?" Jesse asks with a grin. "You could have ten chapters but only like five thousand words cuz they're all only a couple hundred words each."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So rude," Hana grins back. "You insult me. I think I'm somewhere around... a little over four thousand, because each of my chapters has at least a thousand words."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's a great startin' point," Jesse smiles genuinely. "What's it about?" Hana smirks at Hanzo, who goes still again, staring at her in abject horror.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"A playboy from Japan falling for a cute guy who shares a room with him in college," Hana explains cheerfully. Hanzo relaxes visibly, rolling his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Are you sure you haven't met my brother already?" he humphs.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Why, is he here in the States already?" Hana grins, excited by the idea.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"He arrived early because the person he was in contact with about rooming together for the summer and fall had a cancellation or something in their schedule and wanted to move the meeting up."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"He already found a roommate?" Hana clarifies, surprised.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"There was a listing on some website about someone in this area looking for a roommate for next semester, and he sent them a message. They've been chatting about it ever since; apparently the guy speaks fluent Japanese, which is good because Genji is still learning English."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Genji's yer brother?" Jesse asks.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And a pain," Hanzo nods. "Worse than you."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Worse how?" Jesse laughs. "Didn't think it was possible to be lower in your esteemed graces."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Worse because I grew up with him around 24/7 and couldn't get away from him."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Damn."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So, wait, does that mean your brother flirted with you too?" Hana asks, highly amused by the comparison Hanzo is making. He gives her the most horrified look she's ever seen on him, and then he scowls at his food like he might be sick.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh thank God, no... Only every other human being that wasn't blood related to him."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Sounds like a charmer," Jesse laughs.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"If he doesn't curb his tendencies, he will be exiled from the clan," Hanzo says stiffly. "Father is sending him here in hopes that he'll picks up on my... more appropriate habits."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neither Hana nor Jesse says anything now; they both understand what he's not adding aloud, that with Genji here, his secret love of art will have to be all the more hidden, or else risk Genji revealing it to their disapproving father, either by intention or accident.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm sure it'll be fine," Jesse says after an awkward silence. "We'll help ya keep 'm in line." Surprisingly, Hanzo seems to relax, and he even manages a small eye roll.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"My hero."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>↑↑↓↓←→←→BA(Start)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“...but English is strange in that ending a sentence in a contraction is incredibly unusual and actually bothers some people, and your gaze is supposed to be on the paper, Arata-san,” Zenyatta noted gently, smiling at him. Arata flushed hot under the collar and dropped his attention quickly to the paper to avoid meeting his gaze.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“[Gomen’nasai],” he replied. “I... didn’t sleep well last night; I’m... how you say...? Zoning out? All day today.” He decided not to mention that he didn’t dare sleep too deeply or else he’d dream of Zenyatta and the things he wanted to do to the man who was younger and smarter and so incredibly handsome...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You have a test this afternoon,” Zenyatta reminded, gently chiding. “Are you ready for it?”</span>
  <span></span>
    <br/>
  
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Yes,” Arata said defensively, refusing to pout.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Okay, maybe pouting just a little.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Contractions for the opposite of this sentence: Have you seen it?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You haven't seen it."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"At least you are paying attention," Zenyatta chuckled.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Why don't you speak with contractions?" Arata asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"For two reasons; I find that people here take me more seriously because it sounds 'proper' and 'dignified' compared to common speech, and it simply sounds more pleasant with my accent." A sly little grin curled his lips, and Arata almost leaned in to kiss him right then and there. "You would not believe how many American women, and even men, have flirted with me merely from hearing my voice."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, I definitely would believe,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Arata thought to himself, pushing down the memories of all the times he struggled not to imagine Zenyatta's voice in his ear, praising him and coaxing him....</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"After my test, I'm going to see a cinema," he said abruptly, before his wandering mind could betray him. "Come with me?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"A film," Zenyatta corrected.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"A film. Or a movie. You go to a cinema to see a movie or a film. The cinema is the place; it is also called a theatre."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, right... Thank you."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I would be delighted to join you," he added before Arata could ask again. "What film?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Um... I don't know yet. You choose." Arata tried not to be giddy over the realisation that he just managed to ask his incredibly handsome roommate on a date, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>succeeded</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Are you sure?" Zenyatta smiled teasingly. "I have a sneaking suspicion we have different tastes in film genres."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What do you mean?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You strike me as someone who prefers action films or perhaps something in the horror/thriller genre, while I tend to gravitate more toward dramas and mysteries, and occasionally romantic comedy."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Uh..." Arata scrambled for a reply, not wanting to miss this opportunity, and in a stroke of desperation said, "I like mystery."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh? Well, if I recall correctly, there is a new comedic adventure film with heavy emphasis on the simplistic mystery often seen in features directed toward younger audiences..." Zenyatta paused, a faint flush creeping across his cheeks. "Ah, sorry; I did not mean to babble..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No, please continue," Arata assured, loving the soft red hinted in his roommate's features. "I think it's nice you can... gush? so freely."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You should hear me discussing the pros and cons of video games as pre-boot-camp military training."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I would love to," Arata said without thinking. Zenyatta laughed, making him feel better even before he could scold himself for being so straightforward.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Another time, perhaps; you need to eat before your class, and I have a paper to write."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We're going still to see a film tonight, right?" Arata asked hopefully.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course," Zenyatta smiled. "And since my morning class tomorrow is cancelled, I would not be adverse to a meal afterward, if you are interested."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Did he just ask me to dinner?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Arata wondered, stunned. That was a good thing, wasn't it? That was considered a date in the US, right? Oh, he really hoped so. He'd never been so awkward about a date before, but then, he'd never been quite so interested in someone before. Not to mention the huge differences in culture...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Definitely," he answered without hesitation; like he would voluntarily miss a chance to take this gorgeous guy on a date.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>↑↑↓↓←→←→BA(Start)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Thank God finals are over!" Hana exclaims, striding up to the gazebo and plopping down on the bench nearest Hanzo. When he doesn't respond immediately, she cocks her head at him, only just now noticing the furrow between his brows and the unease in his expression. "Hanzo?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Genji is here. So is my father."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>All of Hana's complaints and teases suddenly seem petty, insignificant, pathetic; she can't get the image out of her head of when Hanzo fell completely to pieces after his father outright forbade him to have anything to do with art. He was an absolute wreck for weeks, barely able to get his homework done, missing several classes and only showing up to most of them because if he didn't, his father would undoubtedly make him return home.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His redemption, surprisingly, came from Jesse, who was in the same art class he signed up for and had happened to sit next to him; as soon as Jesse found out why he'd dropped the class, he didn't even hesitate to sit down with Hanzo and explain everything that had happened in the classes he missed, essentially reteaching every detail he had just learned himself. At first Hanzo balked, not wanting to indebt himself, and only after Jesse swore on his own father's grave that no strings would ever be attached did he reluctantly agree to let Jesse teach him. It was, and still is, messy and uncoordinated, and Hanzo can never turn in his work for a teacher's opinion, but Hana has never seen him happier than after sitting down with Jesse to absorb whatever secondhand information he can.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And with timing almost too perfect to be coincidence if it was anyone else, Jesse ambles up with the same lazy American cheer as always, grinning lightly until he sees the looks on their faces.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh hell... I can only think of one reason y'all look like somebody died," he says grimly. "What'd that bastard say now?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"He's here," Hana answers shortly, wanting to reach out and hug Hanzo but knowing he'd never forgive her for such blatant and physical public affection.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yer dad's </span>
  <em>
    <span>here</span>
  </em>
  <span>?" Jesse's brows jump up his forehead in disbelief. "He hasn't... seen anythang yet, has he? I can hold yer sketchbooks and stuff for a day or two till he's gone."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hanzo gestures subtly to the bag at his feet, heartbreak creeping into his expression, and Hana clasps her hands tightly under her chin to keep from reaching out to him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Thank you," he whispers, barely audible.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, no prob," Jesse assures, reaching under the table to pick up the bag and setting it carefully beside him, like it's some precious and priceless treasure.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A moment of heavy silence follows while Hana and Jesse try to think what to say, but it's hard to encourage someone whose entire life revolves at the whim of family and tradition. Hanzo seems to recognise that, and takes a deep breath, pushing aside his insecurities and resetting himself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"How did your finals go?" he asks, only a shell of his usual confident arrogance, but a noble attempt and one both his companions honour.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It was hell," Hana huffs, exaggerating her tone a bit to make up for not being able to comfort her best friend. "I swear, every teacher thinks their class is the only one that matters. And why the hell are so many of them scheduled back-to-back?? I pity the poor person who has three or four finals in one day; when do they get a chance to eat?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"They don't," Jesse scoffs, following her lead. "Had three finals in a row yesterday and I had a good breakfast; still practically ate myself into a food coma after the last one, I was that damn hungry. Almost sent y'all a pic of my food baby."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh God, no thanks," Hana says wrinkling her nose.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hanzo just scoffs lightly, rolling his eyes, but he seems a little less distressed than before, so Hana and Jesse continue bantering for a bit, until his phone pings. His mostly returned humour shrivels visibly, making room for unease again, when he sees the message. Hana catches a glimpse of it, but it's in Japanese and she only recognises a few symbols here and there.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I have to go," he says quietly, standing. Jesse's on his feet instantly, but hesitates, torn; Hana stands and finally gives in to the urge, opening her arms toward Hanzo but not touching him, letting him choose. He falters, and then steps into her, wrapping one large arm around her tiny waist and tucking his nose into her shoulder for a brief but heartfelt hug that she eagerly returns for the short seconds he allows it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We're here for you, Hanzo," she promises when he steps away, hating that he feels so tied by familial obligations and duty and whatever that just meeting his father makes him so stiff and anxious. As he walks away with his chin up and his back ramrod straight, she hopes she never meets the man responsible, or she might just shame Hanzo by punching his father.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>↑↑↓↓←→←→BA(Start)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Finals are over and all that's left is the graduation ceremony for seniors that Hana wanted to attend bc one of her closer acquaintances, who shared a couple of classes with her in fall, is graduating. Jesse offered to go with her, but Hanzo can't go, which makes Hana mad enough that she misses most of the ceremony and puts on a fake smile for the pictures and celebrating afterwards; she politely declines her friend's invite to a graduation party at their apartment in the evening.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's stupid!" she's still ranting to Jesse as he holds open the door of her building for her. Mei's door is closed with a little sign of a cute, hand-drawn sketch of Snowball saying she'll be back later, and Hana is distantly glad she doesn't have to feign another smile as she stomps up the stairs with Jesse quietly following. "He's in college now; he shouldn't have to listen to every little order from home! The whole point of </span>
  <em>
    <span>leaving</span>
  </em>
  <span> home is so that you can experience what being on your own is like!" Not expecting an answer, she glances over her shoulder to emphasise her point, and promptly runs smack into someone as she turns the corner on the landing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"[Gomen'nasai!]" a cool voice says quickly, apologetic. Hana whips back around, startled, meeting the stunning amber gaze of someone who should not exist.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Arata?" she breathes, staring in shock, and the young man cocks his head, mildly and adorably confused.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Er, I'm sorry," he says in thickly, beautifully accented English, shifting back and half bowing. "I didn't see you."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Uh, no worries," Jesse answers hesitantly when Hana says nothing, speechless. He nudges her, but still she doesn't respond, so he speaks up instead. "Um, hope I ain't bein' too forward or anythang, but uh... You wouldn't happen t'be related to Shimada Hanzo, would ya?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The young man's eyes widen and a small smile curls his soft lips. His posture loosens noticeably and a warmer, more confident air settles comfortably  around his shoulders.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I am. He's my anija; my older brother."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You must be Genji then," Jesse brightens, forgetting Hana for a moment as he reaches out a hand to the young man. "Name's James McCree, but you can call me Jesse. Had a class with your brother for a bit last year and we... kinda became friends."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Kinda?" Genji echoes, a knowing look in his eyes as he shakes Jesse's hand. "He still denies it, doesn't he?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah," Jesse smiles ruefully, glancing at Hana. "Ah, this is Hana Song, a mutual friend of ours. Hanzo actually likes her."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hana Song?" Genji asks, lighting up excitedly. He switches to Korean, speaking her language with a lot more proficiency than English. "[You're D.va, right? I'm a huge fan of yours. I've missed seeing your livestreams and videos; did something happen during the battle with King? I firmly believe that you can take back the crown!]"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I-" Hana blinks and looks at Jesse, still too floored to think. She rubs her eyes hard enough to see stars, not caring if she's smudging the makeup she spent a good hour on this morning, and looks again at Genji, but he's no different.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hana?" Jesse prompts, concerned now. "You okay, doll?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I just-" she starts, only to be cut off by a voice calling from up the stairs.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Genji. I thought you were going to wait in the lobby." Genji tips his head back a bit to look up at the speaker, who comes into view a moment later, leaving Hana once again speechless.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Zenyatta smiles warmly at them, soft blue eyes the exact shade Hana pictured them in her mind, skin just as smooth, hair just as neatly coifed. They're both dressed in nice casual clothes, looking perfectly suited for a night on the town.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh hello," he greets pleasantly, his accent so delightfully foreign and yet strangely familiar. "Are you residents here? We just moved into apartment 3C earlier this week and we have not yet been able to meet everyone."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You- You're Zenyatta," Hana squeaks out, confusion slowly morphing into panic.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes," he says, cocking his head curiously. "I take it Dr. Zhou has already spoken of me?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hana distantly recalls Mei mentioning that someone was moving in, but she certainly hadn't said who; there's no way Hana would have missed that name.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Would she?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She suddenly recalls that when she first chose the name 'Zenyatta' for her story, the name did sound familiar, and now she tries desperately to remember if Mei talked about the newcomers before or after she started her story.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But even if it was before, that doesn't explain why she knew what they looked like before she ever met them!</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hana? Hana!" Jesse grabs her arm reactively when she starts to sway, brain on the verge of shutting down from the overload. "What's goin' on? You alright?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, you had better get her somewhere she can lie down," Zenyatta says gently, brow furrowed in concern.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No kiddin'," Jesse grunts, really worried now. "Hana, look at me, sweetheart; I need your key."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Uh... key," she says, trying to focus so she doesn't have a complete meltdown. "Key... um... pocket." She pushes her hand into the side pocket of her purse almost mechanically and pulls out her key ring, which holds a key to her apartment, her school locker key, and a key for the front door of her home back in Korea, plus a little keychain mini of her mech from MEKA. She fumbles it, but somehow Jesse catches it and she lets him guide her upstairs to her apartment.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Some hysterical part of her brain notes that she's in 3D, which, while always a source of amusement for her in the past, is now morbidly hilarious because she's living next door to people who can't possibly exist. She gives a low, pitched laugh that earns her an almost fearful look from Jesse as he ushers her inside.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Will she be alright?" Genji asks from the door while Jesse manoeuvres her to the couch and then hurries to the kitchenette sink to grab a glass of water for her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I think so?" Jesse answers hesitantly. "Ain't seen her like this before..." He kneels in front of Hana and carefully holds the glass to her lips, which jolts her just enough to have some cognitive thought, and she takes it, downing it all at once. "Hell, Hana... You okay?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No?" she answers, sounding even more distraught than she feels. "I think I need to lie down."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh dear... Genji, I will repay you for the tickets," Zenyatta says, glancing at his companion. "Would you please go get the ramen and chicken stock I bought for tomorrow night?" Genji nods, vanishing, and Zenyatta taps lightly on the still open door to get Hana's attention. "May I come in?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hana doesn't reply, stuck now on the mention of tickets, and Jesse gives her a concerned look before waving for Zenyatta to enter.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Er, if yer makin' her somethin' t'eat, I think she's got some pots in one of the bottom cupboards, and I know utensils are in the drawer by the sink."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Thank you," Zenyatta hums, glancing quickly through each cupboard and cabinet to familiarise himself. Genji returns with a bag, pausing at the door to remove his shoes and bowing as he closes the door behind him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Excuse me for entering," he says politely, taking the bag to Zenyatta and asking him in Japanese, "[Would you like some help?]"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"[Yes, thank you. Start boiling the water, please.]" Pausing, Zenyatta turns around, seeming unbothered by Hana's wide-eyed stare. "Forgive me; I missed your names..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ah, McCree. James McCree, but just call me Jesse. And this is Hana Song."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Tekhartha Zenyatta," he smiles, nodding his greeting. "Miss Song, do you have any allergies to be aware of?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Allergies...?" She blinks and shakes her head, trying to clear it. Pressing a hand to her forehead, she makes an attempt to focus on the question.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I think peaches are off the menu," Jesse answers for her, to her great relief. It kickstarts her brain a little bit.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And nuts," she manages to add. "But peaches especially."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Noted," Zenyatta nods. "Would you like to change into something more comfortable? The food will not take long."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Go on," Jesse encourages with a valiant attempt at a smile, patting her knee. "I'll make sure they don't rob ya blind." The joke is just enough to bring Hana most of the way back to herself and she glances at her sundress; as comfortable as it is already, she's definitely going to feel better in her favourite onesie.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Without responding, she goes to change, opting to simply clean off her makeup and wash her face rather than take a full shower; she can do that in the morning. By the time she returns, Jesse has just finished setting her tiny table for four, and Genji is portioning out something that smells absolutely delicious. Zenyatta is washing something in the sink, but he completes that task even as she pauses to take in the mouthwatering scent filling her apartment.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ah, there you are, Miss Song," he smiles warmly. "Come join us. A full stomach will improve your mood and health, and this is an excellent opportunity to get to know one another."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We'll get along just fine," Jesse grins, winking at Genji, who returns the grin with just as much mischief, reminding Hana that Hanzo lamented the similarities between the two. No doubt they already have inside jokes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Seems like we're just missing Hanzo," she says without thinking as she goes to take a seat, freezing when she realises what she said. Genji's grin turns to a faint scowl while he returns the pot to the stove and comes back to the table.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"He's with Father, and probably will be for late tonight."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Until," Zenyatta corrects lightly. "Until late tonight."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes, thank you," Genji acknowledges, pulling out a chair and motioning for Zenyatta to sit. "Until late tonight."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hana forces herself not to think about all the moments like that she added into her story. Pushing it firmly from her mind, she takes a seat between Zenyatta and Jesse and across from Genji. The food quickly distracts her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh my God... I'm just realising how long it's been since I last had ramen," she exclaims, basking in the tantalising steam coming off her bowl.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I hope it meets your expectations," Zenyatta hums, folding his hands a moment and bowing his head. "I used your celery and some of your spices; I hope you do not mind."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Not at all," Hana assures, taking a sip of the broth while Jesse silently prays. The explosion of flavour on her tongue leaves her momentarily speechless, and Genji cocks a quick, mildly uneasy glance at Zenyatta, who waits patiently for her opinion.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Y'good there, sweetheart?" Jesse smirks at her, laying a napkin out on his lap. She gives him a narrow look.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Try it and tell me you have words for how good it is," she challenges. He does so, with a pointed deliberateness, and then pauses.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well hell... It ain't Mama's good old fashioned home cooking, but it's damn near as tasty."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I will accept that as a compliment," Zenyatta chuckles. "You are from the Southern US?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Born and raised near the border," Jesse confirms. "Mama was Mexican, Daddy an American mutt. My mama knew how to cook up a meal had the entire neighbourhood poppin' in for a bite. Growin' up, privacy just wasn't a thang; what's mine is yours, and what's yours is the community's. And e'rybody was one big happy family, y'know?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I imagine it is rather like growing up in a monastery," Zenyatta says with a sly little smile. Hana goes still, mouth full of noodles dangling in a comical imitation of manga stereotypes, and stares at him. "There were no closed doors in the temple, except when the head monk was preparing for a service."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You a monk too?" Jesse asks, intrigued. Genji stifles a small laugh, and a faint blush dusts Zenyatta's cheeks.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No, I am not," he answers gamely, pointedly </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> looking at Genji, and Hana suddenly isn't hungry anymore.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm sorry, but I'm really tired," she says abruptly, standing. She waves for them all to stay seated when they start to stand. "No, you guys can finish up; just don't make too much noise." Putting her half-eaten food by the sink to deal with in the morning, she disappears into her bedroom without waiting for any responses.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There's an adjoining door to the second bedroom of her apartment, which she turned into her "office" of sorts, and she's keenly aware that all of the apartments in this building are the same; Genji and Zenyatta have a door like this between their bedrooms.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Her computer monitors light up under a hasty little wiggle of the mouse, and her story is pulled up on one of the screens. She scrolls up a bit and skims down to the last of what she wrote yesterday.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It's all here. Everything she wrote is real. Right down to their first kiss.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>↑↑↓↓←→←→BA(Start)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jesse left a note that he and Zenyatta did the dishes while Genji cleaned up the table, signing it with a cute little sketch of a cowboy hat and a revolver. Hana barely glances at it before dropping a couple of pop tarts in the toaster and pouring herself some milk. Then she sets her phone on the counter and stares at it while she waits for the pop tarts to finish. She’s just reaching for it when the pop tarts spring up, startling her, and she has to swallow her heart to put them on a plate. Instead of sitting at the table, she sits on the couch, scrunching into the corner and balancing the plate on the arm of it to unlock her phone and bring up her conversation thread with Hanzo. Taking a breath, she taps out a message and sends it before she can stop herself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘is genji taking any classes rn?’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘He is. A basic English class, online, to prepare for fall. Why?’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hanzo sends back a minute or two later. Hana bites her lip, chest tight with perplexed unease.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'just curious,'</span>
  </em>
  <span> she hedges. </span>
  <em>
    <span>'i met him yesterday'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'Already? Damn...'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'hes nice</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>so is his roommate'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'Zenyatta, I believe? I have yet to meet him. What's he like?'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A loaded question. Hana worries her lip between her teeth for several long seconds, trying to think how she can answer it without sounding like the total creep she is for knowing what she knows.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'let me put it this way: ur dad doesnt have to worry about genji having any bad influences around'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'Have you MET Jesse?'</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hanzo reminds her. She can practically hear his snobbish distaste, and it manages to bring a small smile to her lips.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'so has genji ;3'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'Great. Lovely. Kill me now.'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'chill, u know what i mean</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>zen is a good guy'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Immediately she wishes she could take that back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'I will withhold my opinion until I meet him,'</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hanzo decides, and Hana breathes a little sigh of relief that he didn't question why she already has a nickname for a man she's only met once.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hana relaxes a little bit to eat her breakfast, and her phone blips with another message from Hanzo; an image of his sketchbook. It takes her a moment to realise the vague outline drawn lightly on the page is her symbol, the bunny face she uses as her MEKA icon that has become a part of her brand, stylised and part of a bigger picture she can't quite make out.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'I'm starting late, but I promise it will be done in time.'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>In time? Hana frowns at her phone, scouring her mind for what event is coming up and when she might possibly have made a request for...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It hits her like a freight train. Her birthday is next week. She never made a request; Hanzo is risking discovery to make her a piece of art for her birthday.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'omg han you dont have to do that'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'I'm doing it. You aren't changing my mind.'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'but what if your dad finds out?'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'I'm with Jesse right now, and the sketchbook will stay with him until Father leaves.'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hana actually teared up. She scrubs at her eyes, laughing wetly at her phone and blinking away the tears so she can see what she's typing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'idk what i did to deserve a friend like u, but i love u so much'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'Good. Worship the ground I walk on.'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Anyone else, she might take it as arrogance and send back a scathing retort to knock them down a peg, but she can see Hanzo's sly smirk in her head, picture the teasing confidence of his posture; she really laughs now, feeling much better.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'i bow to your greatness oh majestic one~'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She's halfway through eating when she gets another blip, a video this time.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Jesse is jealous,"</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hanzo says over the recording, the young man in question coming into focus. Jesse's pouting, and he puts up a hand to block the camera. Behind him, Hana recognises the garish wallpaper of Jesse's new roomshare in the home of an older couple who rents out several of their rooms for cheap to students.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Am not,"</span>
  </em>
  <span> he protests.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"He's pouting,"</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hanzo cackles gleefully, knocking Jesse's hands away when the man reaches for the phone. </span>
  <em>
    <span>"Tell him again, Hana, how amazing I am."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Cut it out, Han,"</span>
  </em>
  <span> Jesse says, the smile tugging at his lips belying his apparent annoyance as he tries to push the camera away again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Admit it."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"What, that yer amazin'? Thought you wanted me t'stop complimentin' you so much,"</span>
  </em>
  <span> Jesse grins now.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"I meant that you're jealous."</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hana can </span>
  <em>
    <span>hear</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hanzo's embarrassment through the recording, and she's mildly surprised he didn't stop recording.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"I'm always jealous over you, darlin',"</span>
  </em>
  <span> Jesse says, a huskier note to his voice that makes Hana's brows jump upward as the video cuts off with a violent shake. She quickly types out a message, unsure whether to expect a response anytime soon.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'if you didnt end up kissing him, istg u will never hear the end of it'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There's no immediate reply, and as the seconds stretch into minutes, she satisfies herself with the thought that maybe he's finally given in and the two of them are making out like they should have months ago.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After rinsing her plate and glass and setting them in the drainer, she goes back to her room and changes out of her onesie into a pair of daisy dukes and a halter top. She hesitates when her gaze falls on the half-open door to her office, and she steps closer to push it open and stare at the computer. A million thoughts run through her mind, but distantly, like a hum of background noise just above subconsciousness.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It isn't exactly a conscious decision, but at the same time, she knows exactly the moment she decides, and she nods to herself, steeling her resolve and absently tugging the door half-closed again as she heads out, slipping into her shoes on the way out and going across to 3C. She raps likely on the door and waits patiently until it opens to reveal Zenyatta, Genji popping up at his shoulder an instant later.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hi," she smiles brightly, bowing slightly. "I'm so sorry about yesterday. I was very rude, and I wanted to thank you properly. I heard you mention some tickets, and I was wondering if I might make it up to you by taking you to whatever show you missed...?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>↑↑↓↓←→←→BA(Start)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Happy birthday, Hana!" The unexpected shout makes Hana jump, and she fumbles to keep her phone in hand. She promptly drops it when someone collides with her, strong arms wrapping her in a tight hug and squeezing her breathless. Only after she's dropped back on her feet is she able to turn and see who assaulted her, mouth already opening to lay into them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh my God, Dae-hyun??" she exclaims instead, staring up at her childhood friend. He grins, tapping her nose.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"[You left us all high and dry after your defeat,]" he says in Korean, mock scolding. "[Yuna and I were getting worried!]"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"[Dae-hyun... what are you doing here?]" Hana asks, sidestepping the question with one of her own. "[How did you even-]"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"HANA!!" Another collision, but this time Hana has just enough time to turn toward her other childhood friend before being taken to the ground. Yuna, who is noticeably bigger than Hana, sits up, keeping her pinned to the ground. "[You abandoned us! How dare you! I've been trying to keep the D's in the top, but D.kay basically quit after you lost and D.lite isn't playing enough anymore. Not to mention Casino joined King and Overlord...]"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"[Wh- Wait, Yuna, slow down,]" Hana protests, pushing her back to sit up so she can rub the sore spot on her shoulder where it connected hard with the concrete of the gazebo. "[What do you mean, Casino joined King and Overlord?]"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"[Just that,]" Yuna huffs, reluctantly standing and allowing Dae-hyun to help Hana to her feet. "[They were partied up during the last arena, which you missed, by the way; Dae-hyun had to sub in for you, and we barely kept second place because he isn't you, and D.lite kept making mistakes. D.kay still hasn't even responded to my texts or in-game messages.]"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"[But Casino is a solo-runner; he never takes part in the arenas.]"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"[Until now,]" Dae-hyun sighs, plopping down on the bench of the picnic table nearest them. "[I don't know what convinced him to join King and Overlord, but he's too good, Hana, and I can't outmanoeuvre them like you can. We need you back if we're going to have any chance at even qualifying for the Shooting Star Summer Tournament.]"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hana slowly picks up her phone, absently checking the case for damage while she digests that information, only half listening while Yuna gives her a play-by-play of their last arena.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey, doll!" a warm voice interjects, cutting into Yuna's rant and pulling Hana from her thoughts. She smiles brightly when she sees the outrageous combination of party hat on top of Jesse's cowboy hat, and streamers draped over his shoulders.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Jesse, you dork," she giggles. "What are you wearing?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Streamers to decorate the gazebo, obviously!" he grins, setting a cake on the picnic table and pulling the streamers off to begin doing just that. "Who're yer friends? Not interrupting anythang, am I?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nah, not really," Hana laughs. "They're my childhood friends, Dae-hyun Park and Yuna Lee. Guys, this is Jesse McCree, my pest of an American friend."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey now," Jesse chuckles, taping the streamers up wherever he can reach. "Keep talkin' like that 'n they might think ya don't like me."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What's this?" Yuna asks, wrinkling her nose a bit at the cake.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Jesse has taken it upon himself to throw me a birthday party," Hana smirks, leaning over to inspect the cake, which looks homemade and has pink frosting decorated with slightly malformed white flowers and green leaves.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's nice!" Dae-hyun smiles, standing and going over to Jesse. "Would you like some help with that?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nah, I got it," Jesse assures in spite of his precarious position, balanced on the end of the picnic table.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Be careful not to overextend yourself, my friend," another voice chimes cheerfully. Hana beams at Zenyatta as he sets a small gift bag on a different table and cocks an amused brow at Jesse. "I do not think the table will-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He doesn't get to finish; the table tips under Jesse's weight, and Yuna reactively snatches the cake before it slides off while Jesse yelps and crashes into Dae-hyun, both of them ending up in a graceless heap on the ground.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hana bursts out laughing, and Zenyatta covers his grin in a gesture presumably meant to appear thoughtful; even Yuna smirks as she sets the cake next to Zenyatta's gift.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What did we miss?" Genji appears seemingly out of nowhere, Hanzo not far behind, and Jesse scrambles to get free of Dae-hyun, flushing scarlet, which only makes Hana laugh all the harder.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The American fell off the table while putting up decorations," Yuna snickers.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It would have been nice if he landed anywhere that </span>
  <em>
    <span>wasn't</span>
  </em>
  <span> on me," Dae-hyun huffs, standing and dusting himself off.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Sorry," Jesse mutters sheepishly, casting glances at Hanzo, who isn't even looking at him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hi guys," Hana giggles, reining herself in and bouncing across to give Hanzo a quick peck on the cheek. "When Jesse said to meet at the park, I didn't expect so many people!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"To be fair," Jesse pipes up, "I only invited Hanzo, Genji and Zen."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Rude," Yuna humphs, lip still curled in a smirk.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Jesse informed us of your birthday and invited us to join the festivities," Zenyatta explains, hesitant. "We did not mean to impose..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No, you're fine!" Hana assures, laughing. "I just wasn't expecting you. Or Dae-hyun and Yuna. How did you guys get here anyway?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Didn't you know?" Dae-hyun looks surprised. "Your dad brought us along. He said he had some business with some old colleagues in the area and was going to take you out for dinner tonight in celebration."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Really? [That old man]; he didn't tell me anything about it!" Hana tsks, already looking forward to seeing her father again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well then I guess we get to make it up to you in the meantime," Yuna grins, grabbing her in a playful headlock and rubbing her knuckles into Hana's head.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Introductions are exchanged around, and the jokes and laughter continue while Hanzo wordlessly helps put up the streamers, and then Jesse sticks candles into the cake and lights them. When he asks the others to sing 'happy birthday' with him, they all decline, but he gamely sings it alone, sounding surprisingly good for a melody that's traditionally butchered. While the cake is served, Genji eagerly plops a wrapped box just smaller than a shoebox on the table in front of Hana.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I didn't have much time to look for present for you," he says, slightly abashed. "I hope you like."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hana squeals when she sees the soft white stuffed bunny in the box, grabbing and squeezing it in delight.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"When your icon is a bunny head," Yuna grins, "it's not hard to guess your favourite animal."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh shut up," Hana laughs. "Thank you, Genji."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You're welcome," he chirps, pleased. "Zen's is better though."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I am not so sure about that," Zenyatta chuckles, "but I do believe you will appreciate it."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Curious, Hana digs through the tissue paper in the gift bag he hands her, grinning when she sees the pale pink neck pillow at the bottom. Immediately she puts it on.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"There is something else," Zenyatta smiles, holding out a hand. "May I?" Hana hands it over without hesitation, and he opens a zipper she didn't notice, reaching in and pulling out a little box. A small switch makes it start to buzz, and he returns it to the hidden pouch, zipping it closed and placing the pillow around her neck again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hana melts.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh my God..." She lets her eyes fall closed against the gentle massage around the back of her neck.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Jesse mentioned that you sometimes play until your shoulders ache," he explains. "I thought this might help."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Zen, you are officially my favourite person," she moans, basking in the vibrations loosening her muscles.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Rude," Hanzo chuffs, not entirely displeased.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm almost offended," Yuna adds, smirking. Hana grins at them both.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Here," Dae-hyun speaks up, placing a small box about the size of her fist on the table. "Sorry it's not wrapped."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's fine," Hana assures warmly, leaving the neck massager on while she lifts off the lid of the box and beams at the charm bracelet she finds inside. It already has three charms on it: her mech, her bunny head icon, and a stylised pink D that matches their guild icon in all but colour. "Oh, Dae-hyun, I love it! Help me put it on?" She holds it and a wrist out to him, and he preens, clipping it into place for her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"He helped me with mine too," Yuna announces, "so I guess technically he got you two presents." She sets a box wrapped in a plastic bag on the table and pushes the bag down to expose the box, which is quite a bit bigger than a shoebox; almost double the size of a normal one, in fact. Reaching into it, she pulls out a model of Hana's mech that's so detailed, it takes her breath away for a moment.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It works, too!" Dae-hyun notes eagerly. "I didn't really do much, but I helped design it so it opens up just like in MEKA, and it's even spring-loaded so you can fill the guns with BBs and fire them like shotgun pellets. That was all Yuna though; putting it together, I mean. She built it from scratch by herself; I just helped with the design."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh my God, it's amazing!" Hana squeals, jumping up to give her friends a tight hug. "Thank you, Yuna!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well now I just feel pitiful," Jesse chuckles. "Best get mine outta the way before Hanzo unveils his masterpiece and I feel even more lackluster... I've seen it; it's stunnin'. Mine, on the other hand..." He opens his sketchbook to a fully coloured chibi drawing of "D.va" alongside her mech, posed with hands forming a heart toward the viewer, and signed with a surprisingly elegant flourish in the bottom corner. It's simple, but adorable, and Hana smiles widely.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I love it!" she declares, taking the book for a moment to look a little closer before giving it back. "Bring it by my apartment later this week and I'll have a frame for it so I can put it above my desk."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ah shucks, doll," he blushes. "Ya flatter me... Trust me; Hanzo's got the one yer gonna wanna hang on the wall."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Doubtful," Hanzo huffs, rolling his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Go on," Jesse encourages. "Show her."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Reluctantly, Hanzo places his larger sketchpad on the table and lifts the corner of the cover a bit, flipping through pages without revealing them to find the one he's looking for. Then he flips it open, and for a moment, everyone just stares. Hanzo frowns, trying not to look disappointed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I should not have experimented with watercolours for this," he mutters, reaching to close it. Hana grabs his wrist to stop him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Are you kidding??" She stares at him in shock. "It's amazing! I love it! I don't know how you did it, but it's absolutely incredible!" Her wide-eyed gaze returns to the colourful abstract art incorporating her bunny head icon as the centerpiece, and she can't help but brush a tentative fingertip over a splotch of deep purple. "Wow. I mean, it's no Jesse McCree original, but..." She grins, and Hanzo relaxes even as he crosses his arms with a petulant huff.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You say that like he has any talent."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm right here, ya know," Jesse points out, brow cocked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The others laugh while Hanzo turns up his nose dramatically.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You must be special, Jesse," Genji smirks. "He deigns to even comment on your work."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That kickstarts the jokes again, and between them, they finish the cake, praising Jesse's baking skills and inspecting the details of Yuna and Hanzo's gifts.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>In a lull, while everyone else is talking, Hana pulls Hanzo aside.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I thought you didn't want Genji knowing about your art," she says, leaving it to him to decide how to answer. He watches his younger brother almost fall out of his seat with laughter at something Jesse said, and gives a small sigh.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"While Father was here, and Genji was at my place, Father saw a sketch I had missed. Genji didn't even hesitate; he picked it up and chided me for taking his things. I don't think Father believed him, but he couldn't say anything without blatantly accusing Genji of lying, and for all brother's faults, he has never been known as the liar. After Father left, he gave it back without demanding repayment." Hanzo cocks his head a little, side-eyeing Hana. "I think you were right about Zenyatta's influence on him."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Aren't I always right?" Hana teases lightly, nudging him with her elbow. He scoffs, rolling his eyes, but slips his hand into hers for a quick, grateful squeeze before releasing it and returning to the party.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>↑↑↓↓←→←→BA(Start)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For two months, Hana experiments. After a delightful birthday with the people she loves most, she gathers the courage to rejoin her friends in MEKA ― making a very public announcement that King and his guild had better be ready, because while she may not have time to prepare for the summer tournament, she'll be taking back her crown in the Gwishin Winter Games ― and between games and training, she pours all of her attention into her story.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>First, she comes up with the most outlandish ideas she can think of (namely, Zenyatta working at a strip club in secret to supplement his income) to add to her story as a test, and sits back in stunned amazement when she accidentally catches him slipping back in late one night when insomnia won't let her rest; his blush and the way he tugs his jacket tighter around him to hide the glittery cloth beneath is more than enough evidence to prove that it's not just her subconscious mind picking up on other people's knowledge and piecing it together for her story.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Then she writes in a small disagreement and watches them pointedly ignore each other for three days straight until she adds a scene for them to kiss and make up, literally; Zenyatta has a noticeable hickey the next day.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She even tries writing half a scene leading up to a romantic night and leaving it for a week, and cringes painfully every time they stumble over their words around each other, each trying to gather courage to suggest a date of some kind only to chicken out at the last second; she barely survives the week and as soon as her timer for it goes off, she immediately sits down to give them the most romantic evening she can drum up imagination for. She accidentally gets too into it and plays out a whole sex scene and only really realises the next day when she sees Genji walking a little funny that there's no limit on how far this thing ― whatever it is ― goes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As the end of summer draws near, she sits down in the gazebo at the park with her list of observations and conclusions, as well as a printed copy of the nearly 20 thousand words she managed to squeeze out. Most of the story is meandering and loosely tied, more a collection of events rather than a proper story with a plot and a purpose, but already she fears the ending.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The way she began it, the way it's been playing out in spite of the lack of direction... It's leading toward heartbreak for both Genji and Zenyatta, and Hana can't think of any way to avoid it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The fault, so far as she can see, lies primarily with the head of the Shimada family; although there is nothing overtly official between the two men in apartment 3C, there is no future in which Genji's father will even acknowledge, much less accept, a relationship between him and a male stripper.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hana spends a long, long time berating herself for writing that into existence, hating herself for ruining whatever minuscule chance they might have had. She's glad that Jesse is spending the day with his mom and Hanzo is meeting someone about a new job, so she doesn't have to worry about them interrupting. But despite the fact that she's spent a lot of time with Genji and Zenyatta this summer, she isn't expecting it when the latter suddenly sits at the table she's been pacing beside. She freezes when she realises all of her papers are strewn about in plain sight, staring in blank horror as Zenyatta settles himself and picks up one of them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Homework?" he asks genially in greeting.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No, I- Wait don't-!" Hana takes an aborted step forward, realising she's far too late and covering her mouth reactively.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Zenyatta pauses, a faint flush rising in his cheeks.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Genji hesitated, but couldn't miss this opportunity," he reads aloud, flush deepening. "Leaning in, he captured Zenyatta's lips with his own and prayed it wouldn't end with a punch."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh my God," Hana whines. Of all the pages he could have picked up... Immediately she reaches out and snatches the paper, well aware that he's already seen at least the beginning of the intimacy that follows. Hot embarrassment makes the oppressive end-of-summer heat smothering, and for a moment she struggles even to breathe. "I can explain."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I certainly hope so," Zenyatta says quietly, laying his hands on the table and fighting back his own embarrassment. "I would not like to make assumptions, particularly when you have done nothing to raise this level of concern in the past."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm not- It isn't what you think," she assures quickly, on the verge of hysterics. "I'm not- stalking you or anything, I swear. It's- Oh God, how do I explain this?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The beginning is generally a good place to start."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, it started before I met you," Hana explains slowly, unable to look at him. "I- Jesse- No, okay... When I lost to King, I was... I don't know; I kinda lost myself too. Hanzo and Jesse said I should get a new hobby, and Jesse suggested writing, and since I already read a ton of fanfiction and teen fiction I thought I might as well write something like that, and then there was an incident here in the park and some guys were ragging on Jesse and Hanzo for being together- I mean not that they're actually together, even though they totally should be by now- and these guys were giving them crap about it, so I decided I was going to write a gay love story, mostly just to tease Hanzo for turning down Jesse's advances so much, and I opened up some random character and name generators, and I just really liked the name Zenyatta because it felt oddly familiar and I realise in hindsight that it's probably because Dr. Zhou mentioned you and it kinda stuck in my subconscious, and Genji's character was originally named Arata, and I was already well into the story before I met you guys and realised you </span>
  <em>
    <span>actually</span>
  </em>
  <span> existed- that's why I was so shocked when we met- and it took me most of the summer to realise that I-" She breaks off suddenly, abruptly aware of how much she's babbling.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"To realise...?" Zenyatta prompts, watching her wring her hands nervously.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For a long moment, silence reigns while Hana bites her lip and stares around aimlessly, building up the courage to say the words she still isn't sure she believes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm controlling your story," she blurts finally, heat surging again as she fumbles her way into more rambling. "I don't know how, or if it's even </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span>, or what; I just know that whenever I write something into the story, it happens to you and Genji. I'm so sorry; it's my fault you guys fought all those times, and I feel terrible for making you hold back that one week-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hold on." Zenyatta raises a hand, cutting her off, and she falls silent, casting anxious glances at him, but he's staring blankly at the papers spread out across the table, processing. "Are you saying... that everything that has happened this summer, from the moment Genji and I met until now... has been orchestrated... by you?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I- I don't know; I guess?" Hana winces, uncertain and bracing herself for his reaction. His gaze is focused on another paper, and he picks it up, skimming the words.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh..." His voice is soft, stunned; he can't seem to quite wrap his head around everything, but he still looks sheepish. "Now I see why you never asked... I was waiting for the questions when you caught me; questions that never came..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He's talking about the fact that he works the pole; Hana flinches.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I did that to you," she mutters, sinking down on the bench across from him and cradling her head in her hands. "I stupidly ruined any chance you might have had with him... Hell, I forced you together!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...I do not believe you did," Zenyatta says after a moment, startling her. She looks up in surprise as he gently places the paper back in the same spot from where he picked it up. "I have been... dancing for many years now. It is my primary source of income, and my favourite hobby. And I have been keenly aware of my inclinations since my youth; Genji is not the first man I have found so attractive as I do. If I am not so completely affected by... this..." he waves his hand idly at the spread of papers, "ability, shall we say, then one can only assume that the same could be said of Genji, in which case, you do not </span>
  <em>
    <span>control</span>
  </em>
  <span> our story, however much you seem to be able to influence it."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You're... not angry at me?" Hana asks timidly, perplexed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Whyever for?" he returns, head tipping. "Embarrassment aside, you show excellent promise in regards to storytelling and writing style, and that you can picture it so well as to react the way you did upon meeting us... I would be fascinated were it not my life being written."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But it is!" Hana groans, collapsing to the tabletop hard enough that her forehead stings a bit. Peeking up over her arms, she accidentally meets his gaze, but can't look away now that she has. "Doesn't it bother you at all that I can affect your life so much?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It is mildly concerning, yes," he hums, lacing his fingers on the table. "However, minor scare aside, you have given me no reason to distrust you; if I am completely honest, I find myself rather flattered that you not only took an interest in my life, but care enough to see this through." Hana groans again, burying her face in her arms, and Zenyatta lays a hand on her elbow. "Hana, you are an internationally famous gamer ― a genius in your craft ― and you chose to focus your attention on a man who happens to share the same building as you, to see to it that whatever mistakes you made are rectified. </span>
  <em>
    <span>That</span>
  </em>
  <span> is the woman I befriended. Whatever the outcome, whatever fears and doubts you may have, I trust that you will have done your best for your friends."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Even if it results in a broken heart for you and Genji?" Hana mutters bitterly. Zenyatta doesn't reply, and she looks up, catching the pinched flicker of doubt that smooths into vague confusion. Sitting up, she rummages through her papers and finds the pieces of her story where Genji reflects on his family and how much his father would disapprove of the relationship. She sets the papers in front of Zenyatta and lets him read them before speaking. "I don't know if you got the displeasure of meeting him, but their dad is an ass. He forbade Hanzo from doing art even though it's his greatest passion, just because it doesn't fit whatever image he's trying to mould for Hanzo. Hell, he sent Genji here in the first place because he hoped that Hanzo would be a 'good influence' on him! I don't think whatever... power or influence I have over your story is ever going to be enough to write you a happy ending."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Zenyatta returns the papers to the places from which she took them, expression carefully neutral, and folds his hands in his lap, considering.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...What we desire and what we deserve are often two very different things," he says softly, gaze wandering the park beyond Hana. "That I have received this opportunity with Genji, in spite of my past and what I deserve, is a blessing I will ever treasure, no matter how the story ends." His gaze returns to Hana, a small, sad smile curling his lips that sends a spike of pain through her chest. "I trust you."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>In that moment, Hana decides that no matter what it takes, she's going to write that happy ending; if she has to move heaven and earth, she's going to make sure that Zenyatta and Genji always have each other.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>An idea begins to form, and she stands, pacing again while she lets it flesh out. Zenyatta watches her silently, clearly aware that something is going on inside her brain and waiting to see what that is.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She pauses, a piece of a concept sliding into place, and leans over to grab her phone off the table, pacing a bit more slowly while she brings up her conversation thread with Jesse and taps out a request. He replies almost instantly, agreeing without hesitation before even asking for details. She promises to explain later and then sets her phone on the table, leaning on her hands over the papers.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Zen, I'm going to need your help with something."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>↑↑↓↓←→←→BA(Start)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hana is in the midst of training for an upcoming arena event when it happens; her phone starts blowing up.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey, D.mon, D.lete, we're about due for a break anyway," she says, manoeuvring into a corner and pausing the game. "I need to check on something; I'll be right back."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Don't take too long,"</span>
  </em>
  <span> Dae-hyun chuckles over the headset. </span>
  <em>
    <span>"I'm gonna go refill my water bottle."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Ugh, you guys are weak,"</span>
  </em>
  <span> Yuna snickers. </span>
  <em>
    <span>"Hurry up."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hana smiles as she thumbs the mute and removes her headset, standing to walk around while she checks her messages, since she's been sitting for the past four hours or so. As soon as she starts reading, she almost has to sit back down.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'oh hell he actually did it,'</span>
  </em>
  <span> Jesse sent. </span>
  <em>
    <span>'i feel crazy weird now'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'how the heck did ya know??'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'I do believe it worked,'</span>
  </em>
  <span> Zenyatta sent. </span>
  <em>
    <span>'Genji just called me in a panic.'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'hes goin nuts, hana'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'dare i ask what the hell ya did to him?'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'I told him to come home and promised an explanation.'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'He should be here in approximately half an hour.'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'Hana, is there a reason my brother is apologising profusely for kissing Jesse?'</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hanzo sends even as she catches up on the rest of the messages.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh my God, it actually worked..." Surprised but giddy, Hana quickly sends back replies.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>First, to Hanzo: </span>
  <em>
    <span>'can u make it to my place in 10, 15min? ill explain everything'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Then a group message to Yuna and Dae-hyun: </span>
  <em>
    <span>'sumthng came up gtg ill be back in 1hr promise'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Then, to Jesse: </span>
  <em>
    <span>'com to my place 15min'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And one last message to Zenyatta: </span>
  <em>
    <span>'time for the last step; c u in 10'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Equal parts anxious and eager for the coming explanation, Hana momentarily debates putting out some food, but that would be weird, so she just paces her living room until a polite knock signals Zenyatta's arrival. Hanzo arrives next, with Jesse, and Hana barely has a chance to greet them before a rapid tapping at the door says Genji's here.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm sorry for intruding," he greets uneasily as he steps inside. "Zen told me to come here." He freezes when he spots Jesse, paling, and turns right back around to leave.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Genji," Zenyatta says gently, chiding. The effect is incredible; Genji stops and sheepishly faces the room again, flushing scarlet this time.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I know what happened, Genji," Hana says abruptly. "I made it happen. I'm sorry."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Come sit down," Zenyatta speaks up before Genji can ask. "We should all sit down. And I am going to have to ask that you suspend your disbelief for what you are about to hear."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A tight, tense silence falls on the room as everyone finds a place; Zenyatta and Genji on the couch, Jesse crosslegged on the floor across from them with Hanzo leaning against the wall near him, and Hana standing near the kitchen where she can address them all. She takes a deep, steadying breath, smiles wanly at an encouraging nod from Zenyatta, and starts at the beginning, just like she practiced; Zenyatta helped her decide what to say, but the words are all her own, and she stumbles over them often, too embarrassed by the personal details she has to reveal as proof.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At last, she comes to the present, and she takes another deep breath, forcing herself to look at Genji, who's clutching Zenyatta's hand tightly in his lap and hasn't looked away from her since she began.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I wrote it into the story," she explains timidly, apologetic. "That you kissed Jesse." Hanzo frowns, but remains quiet. "I had to test and see if I could make someone do something they wouldn't otherwise do, something that was... well, outlandish. Something against their nature."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Why?" It's Jesse that asks, and Hana's heart sinks; if even easygoing, amenable Jesse disapproves, then she fears she's crossed a line she can never step back from.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Because..." she mutters, already trying desperately to hold herself together when she feels like she's fracturing before they even get up to leave her once and for all. "Because of their dad..." Her voice breaks a little as she bumbles through the explanation, unable to look at anyone now. "I want Genji and Zen to have a happy ending, but I know Genji's dad will never approve, and I- I thought... If I have this power, then at least I should do something good with it and- and make sure that... that he doesn't come between them."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The silence stretches unbearably, and with every second that passes, Hana grows that much more disparaged. She's crumbling, and it's all she can do not to dissolve into a puddle of tears in front of everyone.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's all... fake?" Genji says softly, like he's trying to wrap his head around the fact.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No, Genji," Zenyatta answers firmly before Hana can even open her mouth. He squeezes Genji's hand, shifting to face more toward him. "You are your own person. Everyone has done things they would never do under normal circumstances; this is no different but that someone else has dictated </span>
  <em>
    <span>what</span>
  </em>
  <span> was done. No power on earth could compel either of us to be together without our say so, and I... I believe I would have fallen for you even without Hana's interference."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The silence changes, palpably, and both Zenyatta and Genji blush vibrant red, the latter dropping his gaze to his lap with a small, stunned but delighted smile.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So, lemme get this straight," Jesse speaks up, still frowning faintly. "You knew Genji would kiss me because you wrote it into a story that you've been writing at my suggestion all summer?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes," Hana answers, voice small. He breaks out in a grin and chuckles.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well shit, I guess that means I'm the real matchmaker in all this."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Zenyatta rolls his eyes while Genji cuts an exasperated look at Jesse, who smirks back, waggling his brows. The tension in the room melts away, and Hana sways under the wash of sudden relief. Hanzo is suddenly beside her, one hand on her lower back, the other around her bicep, steadying her, and the tension returns for a moment as she holds her breath for his reaction. His expression is inscrutable, and the rest of the room falls silent in equal anticipation.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"If you ever write about me," he says simply, "I will trash your apartment and join your video game for the express purpose of sabotaging you at every opportunity." The blatant threat is as explicitly accepting as she can expect from him, and she bursts into giggles, half hysterical with renewed relief.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"If I ever write about you," she promises in the same tone, "you'll never know about it." The unsettled glance he casts at Jesse is all the encouragement she needs, and she laughs delightedly as she indulges in a tight, warm hug. After all, they're not in public.</span>
</p>
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